Fall 2013, Volume 18

Class Notes

1960

Larita Norris Kaspar celebrated her 48th wedding anniversary recently. Larita has four children, six grandchildren and is still teaching classes in nursing.

1962

Hope Lewis Lawler and husband Bill are proud to announce that their oldest daughter defended her dissertation and earned her PhD from Duquesne University in Communication and Rhetorical Studies. They also celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary with a weeklong celebration on a cruise with all of their children and grandchildren.

Peggy Raiss Atwood and husband Bill celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary at Hilton Head with all of their children.

Margo O’Connor and Bob are celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary with a cruise to Montreal for a month.

Patty Bourke Green and Marty celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in New Jersey where many of their friends and family live; they will continue to celebrate at Lake Tahoe with their daughter.

Rose Vilallba Dery and Bill are celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary with family and friends, including some ’62 classmates. Rose and Bill are also celebrating a graduation for their first grandchild from Virginia Tech as a first lieutenant in the Air Force. They also have twin granddaughters graduating from Blessed Trinity High School.

Ann Bredemeyer Doyle and Morrie are off for a long journey to wherever their hearts desire in their camper; they just returned from Baton Rouge.

Barbara Scheier Phillips and Bill returned from San Diego and Tucson with their grandson for his seven-year-old birthday celebration. They went to Helsinki in June and in July to Switzerland, Austria and Germany with their 11-year-old granddaughter. They plan to visit Ethiopia soon.

Jane Simons celebrated her birthday and just returned from eight days in Las Vegas, and a visit to the Grand Canyon, Bryce and Zion.

Maureen Dinnen has been selected “Florida School Board Member of the Year” by the Florida Education Association.

Nell Favarato and husband Bob visited with grandchildren in Massachusetts. Their grandson, John, and his girlfriend of several years gave birth to baby, Aviendha, in May and it is their fi rst great grandchild.

Julie Juliano was so sorry to hear about the death of Judy Brogen ’62. “She was greatly admired by us in the nursing department. Going to class during the day and working nights and weekends to pay her way through college and always with a smile on her face. It did not go unnoticed. I feel privileged to have been her classmate.”

1966

Judith Antinarella has retired from the full time faculty at Miami Dade College. She had been assistant professor of Human Services and Addiction Studies at the college.

1968

Georgia Ann Bicknell is still working at the Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute as an education technician. She finished her master’s degree in education through Jones International University online and is ABD on her dissertation in Education with Grand Canyon. Georgia Ann hopes to fi nish her doctoral work next year and is active in the Barry Space Coast Alumni Association.

1981

Stephanie Rakofsky South Miami Hospital’s director of Social Work, Care Coordination and Counseling was honored with Florida International University’s Robert Stempel College of Public Health and Social Work’s 2012 Path Award. The Path Award recognizes individuals in public health, social work and dietetics for their contributions and commitment to promoting and protecting the health of the South Florida community.

Arleen Dowd received an NEH Fellowship to study in South Africa. Additionally, she received her PhD from the University of Mississippi in Educational leadership in 2012. As chief warrant officer 3 (CW3), she is also a member of the United States Army Reserves and serves as an instructor to new warrant offi cers and lieutenants. Arleen has just completed her 28th year as an English teacher in Oxford, Mississippi, where she resides.

1984

Maria Dusenbery has completed her credentials to become a parish nurse and hopes for ministry to grow in Florida and Michigan.

1991

Dr. Vershern Edwards has written, “I Don’t Want Okra,” a book of poems of inspiration, focus and resolve to make it through when all seems hopeless and you may feel helpless. Dr. Edwards has been interview by NPR Mississippi’s public radio and other print publications.

1992

Brendan Francis participated at the first-ever Global Healthcare Summit, 2012, organized by the Economist Group, United Kingdom. Brendan was among 250 invited senior healthcare decision makers from around the world to discuss the future of healthcare. Dr. Francis was also invited by the Economist Group to join 150 global leaders in discussing the future of Africa.

1996

Anthony DeSantis, BS ’96, MS ’99 and Michelle DeSantis ’98 will be celebrating their 14th wedding anniversary in November. Anthony completed his PhD in Conflict Resolution and Analysis from Nova Southeastern University in 2011. After working 10 years at Nova Southeastern University, Anthony was hired as the associate dean of students at the University of Florida. Michelle completed her MBA in accounting from Saint Leo University in 2012 and is working as an accounting manager for Haven Hospice. They moved to Gainesville, Florida in 2010 but always stay connected to the friends they made during their time at Barry University.

Andy Muccino has been promoted to associate athletic director as well as head athletic trainer and sports medicine instructor with Gray Stone Day School near Charlotte, North Carolina. Andy and his wife, Jill, also welcomed son, Callen David in 2011, joining sisters Delaney (4) and Norah (3) in the household.

1998

Ruben J. Gomez and Marcia Gomez, ’00 had a baby boy named Liam Colin in January 2012.

Tonya Laster received a master of arts in Psychology, Marriage and Family Therapy from Golden Gate University, San Francisco, California, in April 2013.

Angel Velez Oyola, Director of the School of Theology at InterAmerican University of Puerto Rico, was awarded the Doctor of Humane Letters honoris causa during its annual commencement. This honorary doctorate serves as a recognition of the importance of Velez’s work in continuing education and ecumenical and interreligious understanding both within, and outside, Puerto Rico.

2000

Cami Green Hofstadter just published her book: “The Foreign Consuls Among Us: A Guide to Citizen Diplomacy.” To be credible players in the global community, all of us must learn to be “goodwill ambassadors” like the foreign consuls among us. This guide shows how to partner with them in our efforts to promote effective citizen diplomacy.

2001

Queen Rogers-Paschal married Alvin Paschal III in December of 2012. They have four beautiful children together. Queen works for the Broward County School Board and is currently working on her first novel and screenplay.

Ira Gonzalez, BS ’01, MBA ’05, has been appointed one of the new young lawyers subcommittee co-chairs of the ABA Section of Litigation Products Liability Committee. Gonzalez serves as the deputy regional representative for Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas for the Hispanic National Bar Association, young lawyers division.

Antoine Atouriste is a professor at the University of Notre Dame Haiti and a member of the Haitian National Anti-Corruption Committee.

Anis Blemur is a successful American entrepreneur of Haitian origin. Anis is an expert in accounting and has helped immigrants in their fights to obtain legal rights. After working many years for Sharpton & Brunson, and then becoming CFO with a multi-national firm called Xantic, Inc., he went on to explore his entrepreneurial passion in starting his own firm to help local international entrepreneurs start successful businesses in South Florida. Anis authored, “A Balanced Life,” a self-improvement book to help smaller investors and entrepreneurs achieve the American dream.

2002

Kristina Feher, Esq. has been selected to the inaugural class of the Wm. Reece Smith, Jr., Leadership Academy of the Florida Bar. The goal of the academy is to train younger lawyers not only to be leaders in the legal profession but also in their communities. Kristina just completed a two-year term as young lawyer section chair of the St. Petersburg Bar Association. Kristina practices bankruptcy law, divorce, small business and immigration at Feher Law in St. Petersburg, Florida.

2003

Anne Shaver has obtained her license in social work and started working as a medical social worker at a community hospital. Anne and her husband are raising and preparing to adopt their 21-month-old granddaughter, Kendra.

Deborah Reato, BS ’03, MS ’06 has been named director of Veterans Success at Georgia Gwinnett College. In addition, she was awarded the University System of Georgia’s African-American Male Initiative Award and has established the college’s elite scholars program.

2006

Michael Ugarte, BA ’06, MS ’09, married Ashley DuFrene on March 22, 2013; “my best friend is now my wife and partner in crime.” Michael is also the new director of stewardship at The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C.

2008

Jermaine Rolle, a mental conditioning coach at Velocity Sports performance in Cherry Hill, N.J., has achieved certified consultant status with the Association for Applied Sport Psychology, an international professional organization that promotes the field of sport, exercise and health psychology.

2010

Nancy Clark has just had her second book published, “Haikus and Cinquains.” The book contains photos that were taken during her travels throughout the United States and Canada that Nancy tried matching up with various poems to paint a pleasant visual picture for the reader.

2011

Saskia Stamm has relocated to Oakland Park with her three-year-old daughter where she will be teaching for the German School of Ft. Lauderdale while continuing her graduate studies with Barry University.

2012

Joshua Jackson has been accepted to the Academy of Art University in San Francisco, California to pursue his master’s in Motion Pictures and Television.

Lance Leider, with the Health Law Firm, delivered a seminar to Florida Hospital’s family medicine residents and medical students in February 2013. The topic focused on types of fraud and abuse in the health care industry.

2013

Brittney Bartlett will be earning her master of arts in International Administration from the University of Miami starting this fall.

In Memoriam

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